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Colorful Critter Train Recipe

WHEN Crafting Traditions kitchen staffers saw Tannye Johnson’s fun birthday
outfits on the previous pages, they got busy engineering a critter train cake
you can couple with those costumes! You won’t need to track down exotic ingredients to make it either—all it calls for are store-bought cookies, candies and cake mix. You even use purchased pre-made frosting to put the train together. So it’s a treat to make and eat.

4.along straight lines with the knife, working with one cookie or cracker at a time. Place cookie or cracker always on crumb-free cutting board, cleaning the board often. Draw the knife toward you on the scored line without applying pressure. Continue to make similar strokes toward you until the cut is completed (five or more strokes).

5. To cut curved lines, guide the knife along the lines to make the first stroke. Then cut in the established groove until cut is complete. Or gently carve away the cracker to the marked line.

6.ICING: Make icing with recipe that follows, using it to “glue” the train pieces together and decorate them. Making sure that bowl and utensils are grease-free, beat all ingredients until icing forms peaks (7-10 minutes with heavy-duty mixer, 10-12 minutes with hand mixer). Keep in an airtight covered bowl. Cover bowl and

8.ASSEMBLY: For each car, refer to appropriate diagrams and individual directions. To “glue” pieces together, fill a round-tipped pastry tube with icing and add lines of icing to edges of pieces being added or as directed.

9. Cut graham cracker base piece(s) and sugar wafer axles for each car as directed, then glue sugar wafer axles on edge about 1/2 inch from each short edge.

10.Decorating:. As assembly of each car is completed, decorate cars with icing stars (using smaller star tip to make stars), or cover areas with dots, stars or rows of icing, then press in rows of Red Hots, Cinnamon Sprinkle Decorations or M&M’s as shown. If desired, add candy clowns or clown heads to back of engine cab and front and back of caboose.

12.Cab: Glue four shortbread cookies on edge for sides and add a 2-1/2-inch-square graham cracker roof.

13.Wheels: Glue a LifeSaver wheel to each end of the front axle. Glue chocolate-covered cookies to the back axle, making sure that the engine sits evenly. Add a LifeSaver to the center of each cookie wheel. For each side, cut a 3-inch piece of licorice and glue from center of front wheel to center of back wheel.

14.Front: Glue four 1-5/8-inch sandwich cookies on edge in front of cab. For “cow-catcher”, cut and use one half of one 2-1/8-inch sandwich cookie, gluing at an angle to front of graham

15.cracker base. Form a smokestack by gluing together four LifeSavers, alternating colors. Glue to top front of engine front. Decorate as directed above.

19.sticks (centered 1/2 inch apart) between each set of sides (Fig.), and glue ends of one pretzel stick centered between each set of ends (Fig. 2b). Let icing set thoroughly, about 20 minutes. Add glue to lower and side edges of a cage side and an end and press in place to base with pretzel “bars” to inside. (Side will be along 2-1/2-inch edge of base and end along 2-inch edge.) Quickly press a pretzel into the corner of the cage just formed. Glue an animal

20.cracker to base inside cage. Glue in remaining side and end of the cage, adding a pretzel to all four corners.

21.Top: Use template to cut two cage car top sides and two cage car top ends as follows: Trace the templates for the pieces onto

22.freezer paper and cut templates out. Place templates on end of crackers and score with knife. Cut out pieces. Add glue along top edge of side and end cage pieces and press remaining 2- x 2-1/2-

23.inch graham cracker top piece into place. Let

24.icing set.

25. Add glue along bottom and side edges of cage car top sides and ends. Set ends in place between sides on edges of top piece.

31. b>CAKE: Prepare cake mix as directed on package. Grease and flour bottom and sides of jelly roll pan and line the bottom neatly with waxed paper to aid in removal from pan. Bake according to package directions. Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto cooling rack. Let cool completely. Place cake in the middle of covered board or cardboard.

32.FROSTING: Cut a piece of freezer paper the same size as the jelly roll pan bottom. Draw a train track onto the shiny side of the freezer paper as shown in Fig. 4a. Cut out the freezer-paper track as a template and position

37. Use ribbon tip and chocolate frosting to form railroad ties (Fig. 4b), spacing them about 1-1/4 inches apart on train track. Use round tip to add the rails (spaced about 1-3/4 inches apart) and “Happy Birthday”.